The Trampling Hooves Of The Feistodon: RSD 2012

I had a very busy day Saturday, but did not let that stop me from making a visit to the wonderful Toadstool Sounds in lovely Peterborough New Hampshire for Record Store Day 2012.  I must admit that I was fairly disappointed in this year's titles, however there were a couple that kept me content.

The faithful repress of Patti Smith's 1975 full length debut Horses takes the prize.  The original audio has been tastefully remastered and finds itself now pressed to high-grade, medium-weight vinyl just for RSD.  The last US vinyl pressing of Horses was in 1977, so this was long overdue.  The remaster was performed with a great attention to detail; we get a bit more bass and the upper midrange distortion has been nearly eliminated.  Because we also still get a little bit of the hissing S's, it tells me that rather than risking over-processing the original masters things were performed with a fairly light touch and a devotion to maintain the character of original recording.  Arista also did a great job of keeping the classic look and feel of the record with detail right down to the labels on the disc.  It has a sweet retro flavor, and I love it.

Be sure to look for Patti's new record, BANGA, due out this June!

When I first read the RSD 2012 list I thought someone may have made an error: a Mastodon/Feist split?  Indeed, the Feistodon 7" just seemed too cool to be true yet here it is in my hand.  Side A contains Mastodon's cover of Feist's A Commotion, from Metals:

Side B contains Feist's cover of Mastodon's Black Tongue, from The Hunter:

I rather enjoy when a cover is adapted into the performing artist's style and these two are great examples of just that.  Here's to hoping that next year we see more interesting titles and/or limited represses of hard-to-find gems.  Thank you to Patti, Leslie, and the men of Mastodon for making my RSD 2012 experience worth it, and thank you to Eric and Megan of Toadstool Sounds.

None More Black

Record Store Day: a reasonable way to enjoy the Black Friday shopping experience.  This time around I stayed close to home and picked up my goodies "just down the road" at The Toadstool in Peterborough, NH.

Every Autumn I go through a phase when I have to listen to Type O Negative - a mood envelopes me.  There's something about it that takes me back to a particular era in my life, and the sound of TON is a heartwarming and cleansing retrospection that re-energizes my heart; it's a ritual.  There is no other band out there like TON, and there never will be.  Their dry dark humor and over-the-top melodrama masked a truly beautiful core expression - one that provided solace to those absorbed with feelings of negativity, self blame, and emptiness.  They dissolved depression and self-pity by recognizing and embracing the dark extremities of the human emotional scale in sometimes ridiculous and sometimes very intense ways.

Today I am very happy to have in my possession the Type O Negative vinyl box set.  Limited to just 1000 copies and containing all six Roadrunner-released albums on green vinyl, this was the only RSD title that got me really excited.  As soon as I had the box open I had to jump right to Haunted...and oh my, to finally hear this on vinyl is...a holy moment.

The pressing quality and vinyl mastering is quite good; the clarity of sound is beyond what I was expecting to hear - it's almost as though I am hearing these albums for the first time...the songs are the same, but there is a hint of difference in sonic character and a greater depth of clarity.  Each album comes in its own gatefold jacket with brand new liner notes; the original album art adorning the front and back - only now unobscured by the iconic Type O Negative corner logo and album title, giving these editions a classic and clean look...well...as classic and clean as a hairy asshole can look I suppose.  This really is a fantastic tribute to Mr. Peter T. Ratajczyk, one of the most unique and talented songwriters in rock history.  The only thing missing is Dead Again - though since it was not originally released by Roadrunner, I am not surprised; I guess I'll be adding that to my vinyl wish list.

I also left with the Songbook double vinyl by Chris Cornell.  This is a collection of stripped-down acoustic versions of several Cornell originals (spanning his entire career) and a few covers, all recorded live during his Songbook tour.  This may have been worth it alone for the incredible version of Fell On Black Days...

...and I picked up a copy of the only Small Sur album I did not have, We Live In Houses Made Of Wood.  I didn't even know this existed - I can't wait to listen to it.  It came in a lovely recycled cardboard sleeve by Tender Loving Empire - a Portland, OR label and store.  I usually avoid purchasing CDs, but I made an exception for this one.

Refresh

I've been on unannounced and unofficial hiatus from TimbreLeaf the last few months.  This has been for several reasons, but primarily due to the slump and/or rut in which I found myself.  It seemed the thought of writing had become a nagging self-imposed expectation I put on myself, and due to lack of time and inspiration this indeed lead it to feel like a chore rather than a love.

Since my last June post - besides working on the house - I've entered my 31st year, bought a Martin DC16-RGTE, read several great books, resigned from my job, and took a long vacation in Portland Oregon.  Autumn is fast approaching and I am embracing many changes in my life, attitude, and creative endeavors; my trip to Portland was a culmination of this harvest.  Rosemary and I timed the trip to coincide with MusicFestNW, five days filled with a wide variety of music of local and national acclaim.  You can expect to see a short post about the trip soon.  Other than the myriad of music at the MFNW, this summer I've ventured out to see Soundgarden, Bon Iver, and a few local shows at the Toadstool.

Soundgarden July 10th 2011 (Photo by Andrew Bruss)

I've done some soul-searching, meditation, and healing...and feel ready to get back to TimbreLeaf.  My vision of TimbreLeaf has changed a little; since I haven't posted at all in regard to music equipment and technique I plan to drop that idea.  It may resurface in the form of another blog, but for the time being I want to center my attention on one thing and grow TimbreLeaf into what I want it to be.  I plan on posting more and making pieces shorter - get my thoughts out and move on.  Posts will probably shift to music that is new to me and stray from well-known acts altogether.  The format will be much the same: reviews, links, and pretty pictures of vinyl.  Thank you to those who read and/or follow TimbreLeaf; your time and comments are very much appreciated.

Cheers ~

The Thing (Part II) or Why Late Is Better Than Never

At this point I am writing this in an effort to clear my pallet for future posts.  As you may have noticed I have been absent from TimbreLeaf in the last couple of months.  I'll explain more about that later...for now please enjoy the startling conclusion of The Thing In The Spring...

One of the best shows at this year's Thing was held Saturday Mat 14th at Harlow's Pub: a wonderful place to be for great food and great taps.  Harlow's often hosts blues and rock bands, and sometimes the occasional foray into reggae or even things as cool as Balkan/Klesmer/Gypsy/Bellydancing (The Underscore Orkestra which appeared just last Friday).  These performances by Coke Weed and Mmoss were ones I just couldn't miss.  Rosie and I procured the perfect small pub table in the center of house surrounded by the eclectic barrage of quirky beer signs, obscure personalities, adverts, and other art adorning the walls and ceiling of the establishment.  With a beer already in my stomach Coke Weed took the stage to fill our ears with their throwback blend of chill, reverb soaked ditties.  With both male and female vocals, often in duet form, Coke Weed's songs are melodically strong and rich with mellow but fun textures.  Named after perhaps both the most famous upper and downer, the band energizes your spirit to dance...but in a stoned, shoe-gazing sway.  Like and unlike a darker, psychy She & Him, Coke Weed, rather, are inspired, thoughtful, and a pleasure to experience live and on record (sorry Zooey, I do love you very much, but it's the truth).  I hope Coke Weed are not displeased with the comparison...or more truthfully the contrast as it is.
"Not My Old Man" by Coke Weed (Uploaded by The Walkmen)
 
Mmoss are no strangers to the TimbreLeaf blog.  I've been greatly enjoying their vinyl release of i quite a bit in recent months.  Their last performance at the Toadstool was a short one; for The Thing they played a complete and masterful set.  I will'n't belabor this...Mmoss are a mind-blowing phenomenal paradox of a band.  Born out of their era, they create the perfect music of a by-gone day with such impeccable skill and natural talent you just cannot not like them.  Lush organ chords waver in and out between telecaster secret agent alchemistry and catchy vocal melodies...think a psychedelic rock & roll super group from 1968.  Mmoss did not disappoint at Harlow's, in fact this may have been my favorite performance from 2011's Thing.
Another Dream by Mmoss 

Sunday saw the last show of the festival return to the Peterborough Historic Society for Goddard, Giraffes? Giraffes!, and Kayo Dot.  Goddard, a three-piece from Worcester Massachusetts, brought me right back to my junior high school days.  With a dress code, attitude, and stage presence straight from 1994 - in a really great way; I can imagine them having opened for Tool or Henry Rollins back in the 90's.  This post is actually well timed as Goddard have just released a new record, Bishop, which is available on their BandCamp page...and it is fantastic.  Their music has just the right parts grunge, groove, and grit; each third of the guitar-bass-percussion triad complements its opposite and adjacent quite naturally.  Hear for yourself...

Giraffes? Giraffes! are apparently the hot ticket item.  The duo from western Mass have accumulated quite a healthy following, even in far-from-home regions.  Though G?G!'s two members have been involved in various solo and other musical projects and styles, their set was comprised of their latest spastic, tumbling instrumentals.  Aided by phrase looping effects and synthesizer they constructed and demolished riffs and structures throughout each piece, layering subtleties and bridges to connect the dots.  Outside of the Harlow's show The Thing crowd was most densely populated and animated during this set - my socks were indeed rocked clean off.  Recently G?G! rather successfully persued funding for their new record via Kickstarter.  Hopefully we can expect it out soon?  Try this on from their last record, More Skin With Milk-Mouth, which can be purchased here....
"When The Catholic Girls..." by Giraffes? Giraffes! (Uploaded by amystafford)

Kayo Dot (Maudlin Of The Well in a previous, more metal life) is a large group from New York consisting of horns, guitars, percussion, bass, and vocals.  They were last up and the crowd thinned out considerably.  I get it...Kayo Dot are not conventional by any means and while I enjoy the band quite a bit, their live performance at The Thing could have been better.  In contrast to the last time I saw them they opted to focus on their more ambient cuts - horns droning, bass chiming natural harmonics, and somber drawn out vocals.  Folllowing G?G!'s set this felt just a tad flat energy-wise.  The highlight was their finale - cresendoing and instense, it ended with pots-and-pans calamity eventually and reluctantly giving way to a meditative silence and peace...this is what makes Kayo Dot great.

This year's Thing was more formal and put-together than last year; everything about it was stepped up a notch.  I am very impressed with the talent and names that were brought to a small place, but I personally enjoyed last year's Thing more.  This is probably primarily due to my personal experience; last year nearly everything I heard was new to me and that was something that I enjoyed immensely.  There also seemed to be more experimental performances and collaborations which were not only very interesting, but also something you couldn't see anywhere else.  I am hoping for a more mixed experience next year - some big names, and perhaps some local one-off collaborations.  My suggestion....a 48 hour local music mashup - combine willing members of several local bands to write songs 48 hours before the festival and then perform at the The Thing alongside the bigger names and established acts.  This would be very cool.

With all that said I am beyond amazed and impressed with Mr. Gagne and the rest of The Thing's crew.  From the average attendee's perspective it may not seem like the tremendous amount of work that it is.  I feel indebted to those who put this festival together.  It's one of the big events of the year that I look forward to with great excitement and I hope the tradition carries on for a long time to come.  Thank you to everyone who was involved and to all the musicians and artists who contributed.  You are all what makes Peterbough, NH a great place to be.

*Broke: The Affordable Arts Fair is coming back this November 26th and I strongly recommend checking it out if you are anywhere near the Monadnock area.  Cheers!

The Thing (Part I)

It's been over two weeks...why have I not yet written about The Thing In The Spring?  Life's been busy, and now that some time has passed it's pretty tough to figure out where to begin.  This year's Thing was epic, in both the traditional and annoying new-school context of the word; we saw bigger names than in the past, and overall a more organized and professional-feeling environment.

The Thing In The Spring is a four-year strong, weekend-long music festival in Peterborough, NH that focuses mostly on local artists - from New England and just beyond.  This year the festival kicked off on Friday, May 13th, at the Peterborough Historical Society with Bunny's A Swine - a fun, energetic, and quirky rock band from Northampton, MA.

"Whisky Lotto" by Bunny's A Swine - uploaded by Sameermo

The sound was a bit rough during their set but it fortunately smoothed out for the following acts.  The room in which the shows were held was quite pretty and well-sized for the event, though its acoustic properties presented a challenge to find the right balance of elements within the mix - blending electrically amplified signals with the unprocessed, natural sound coming from the stage.  Up next was Stephen Brodsky from Arlington, MA.  Stephen is a current member of Cave In and former member of Converge (amongst others).  I rather enjoyed his set of processed, slightly distorted, and sampled Guild F-65 acoustic/electric ditties - a unique approach and very well done.  Here's a track from the show...

Stephen Brodsky

The final performance of Friday evening was Flowers & Cream's first ever live set.  Flowers & Cream is a group put together by Thurston Moore, best known for one of alternative rock's most influential bands - Sonic Youth.  Flowers & Cream alternated between performing several tracks from Thurston's new record, Demolished Thoughts, and a mash-up of spoken-word free-form jams.  I know I am the odd man out when I say that Thurston's material doesn't blow me away, but I certainly appreciate his lyrics and what he does.  Some songs resonate deeper with me than others...here's one of my favoites from the evening...

Flowers & Cream

It was a bit surprising, and perhaps ironic, that someone like Thurston Moore, out of all the talent that were to perform during the weekend, would be fighting with a faulty amplifier.  It did, however, set a mood; this is real and raw stuff - there's no primping and pretending, and no rockstar attitudes.

Saturday was a vey busy day.  *Broke: The Affordable Arts Fair was magnificent, with artists from all over the region showing and selling peices of various formats/media - paintings, drawings, knitting, photography, textiles, clothing, jewelry, and much more.  To top it off nearly everything was priced under $50...and if that wasn't enough, across the common you could enjoy some delicious soup alongside a student art exhiibit at the Empty Bowls fundraiser at the teen center.  In the afternoon, Omoo Omoo, a spacey ambient/atmospheric group from Baltimore, MD, performed from the lower rooftop of The Toadstool bookshop, befitting the greying overcast sky.  Their music - droning backdrops supporting various acoustic-style ramblings.


Perfomances in the evening were split between three bands playing early sets at the Historical Society, and two more playing at Harlow's Pub.  I'll cover the first show in this post, and save the second to kick of Part II.  Things got rolling at the Historical Society around 6pm with Dan Ireton from Vermont, aka Dredd Foole.  While what Dan was doing wasn't really my thing, his comfort and presence on stage begged one to listen to his particular blend of folky americana.  Dan uses his voice as an instrument, not only singing words, but to create sounds and accent movements in his music. Following Mr. Foole, was 200 Years - a male/female duo: Ben Chasny & Elisa Ambrogio.  Ben can normally be seen in Six Organs of Admittance, Comets on Fire, and Rangda, and Elisa in Magik Markers.  A big thank you to Eric Gagne for providing this information as I could not find anything about 200 Years elsewhere.  I highly recommend checking out all of their projects.  Megan Roy spun some Comets On Fire for me one day in The Toadstool, and I very much liked what I heard,  At The Thing, Ben & Elisa played a stripped-down, poppy, and interesting set.  Instrumentation included acoustic guitar, electric guitar, voice, and keyboards.

Photograph by Angus MacPherson

Last up was J Mascis, of Dinosaur Jr fame.  J's "acoustic" set was loud and filled with life; he tumbled through several songs without speaking much to us, letting his six strings and voice do most of the work.  We received a healthy variety of melodies and vocal styles, and at times J would employ heavy distortion to belt out a solo.  The difference in volume and harshness of tone was a bit much, though bearable.  Here's one of my favorite tracks from his performance...

J Mascis

J recently released a solo record, Several Shades of Why, on Sub Pop records, and is currently on tour with Dinosaur Jr. You can catch him in Northampton, MA on Summer Solstice - June 21st.

...Hmmm...not my best work, but I'm glad to have Part I finished.  In Part II I'll be focusing on the Mmoss/Coke Weed show at Harlow's Pub, the final show at the Historical Society, and my thoughts on The Thing 2010 versus 2011.  Cheers.

Mmoss / Black Norse / Megafauna @ The Toadstool

Photo from Megafauna's Facebook page.

March 25th, 2011.  On Friday night The Toadstool Bookstore in Peterborough, NH hosted another fantastic show.  After hours, in the heart of the store a small but inviting space had been cleared and prepared for three acts.  The first was Manchester's Megafauna, a once one-man band singing over his home-brewed, elaborate, poppy backtracks, turned full group with the addition of bass, guitar, and electronic drum kit.  The band was off to a rough start between technical difficulties and an awkward approach; they attempted to keep time with the original backtracks, which already included percussion, bass, and guitar.  After some monitor and level adjustments, Megafauna finally found their feet at the third song.  Megafauna's music is eclectic, well thought-out, and lively.  Singer/songwriter Ian Hughs holds nothing back - shaking, hopping, and twitching as he belts out his lyrics in an ecstatic manner.  Their music is some shade of alt-pop...which I must admit I know very little about.  What I can say is that it was certainly a different experience seeing him will a full band, and I found it to suite his music quite well.  They rounded out their set with a Siouxsie & the Banshees cover and Brian Eno cover, clearly two of Ian's influences.  You can listen to Megafauna on their SoundCloud page here.

Photo from Black Norse's Myspace page.

Up next was Keene's Black Norse - a Sabbath-worshipping, sludgy, stoner/doom duo.  Since the show was off to a late start Ben Troy and Ryan Harrison wasted no time diving right in to their set.  It had been a while since I had listened to anything like this and it brought a great smile to my face.  While there's a plethora of stoner metal bands out there, Black Norse still manage to pull you in and demand your undivided attention.  There is an honesty and vital energy present in their performance; the music and expression are the means and the end.  At one point, after missing a change, they decided to start a song over again - an example that these guys really are the inverse of pretentious.  With just a minimal drum set and an amplified guitar, Black Norse create a full wall of sound - raw and rich with overtones, the less-is-more law clearly in effect.  Of course, the guitar is heavily distorted and detuned to somewhere around C, which helped to fill our ears with a healthy spectrum of sound.  Bass lines would have been an interesting augmentation, but at no point do any of the songs really beckon for it.  No, Black Norse are complete as they are...hear for yourself at their Bandcamp site.  Though my recording doesn't do them justice, here's a track from the show...

Photo from Mmoss' Facebook page.

The final band for the evening is something of a paradox to me.  Somehow Mmoss channel a bit of the Summer Of Love - a time long before any of its members were even born (or so I speculate) - with a strange ease, and a haunting vibe.  The first time I saw Mmoss sealed the deal for me; they filled the old Toadstool music space with an energy left over from the late 60's and early 70's, formerly trapped in some sort of vortex to which Mmoss magically hold the key.  These sonic time-travellers do what they do very, very well.  When I tell someone about Mmoss they shrug, likely thinking "that doesn't sound particularly original."  But without hearing Mmoss, it's not possible to understand what makes them great and unique.  Friday's show was another affirmation....Mmoss are Mmoss, and Mmoss are good.  In the small space, encompassed by bookshelves and several pairs of ears, the band worked its magic.  Their spell simultaneously sent us back in time, but also forward from our nostalgic thought patterns, up to the leading edge of active creation - hence the strange riddle of this exceptional band.  Multipart vocal harmonies, eerie twangy guitar licks, lush modulated organ, jangly drum beats, thumping basslines, and smooth flute leads makeup Mmoss's exquisit sonic backdrop. At times they trance you out in a droney, buzzy, heady jam and other times they get you tapping your foot, pulling your strings to put a flower in your hair and dance with whomever is next to you at the moment.  Last night they unfotunately played a short set, though quite tasty it was.  For your enjoyment, here are a couple of tracks from the show...
[Wander]

[Grow Down]

Previously Mmoss' I album was only available as a digital download or audio cassette, but any day now the vinyl LP will be available.  You can snag it at Toadstool or online here.  Prefer lossless digital audio?  Visit the band's Bandcamp site to listen to I as well as two other great tracks, Wander and Another Dream.  Also, Moss will be at this year's The Thing In The Spring festival, which you shouldn't miss if you're in the New England area.

Photo from Mmoss' Myspace page.

Micah Blue Smaldone / Tongue Oven / Timothy Horgan @ The Toadstool

January 15th, 2011.  Three artists. Three twelve-string acoustic guitars. One small makeshift stage. A handful of locals gathered after hours on the floor amidst the bookshelves of The Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough (NH - USA). The vibe and volume of these shows has changed a bit since moving into the bookshop from the previously vacant space next door, but they are still intimate and warm.

Opener Timothy Horgan of Keene, NH sat awkwardly on the wooden chair as he performed his beautiful finger-picked instrumentals. The small crowd breathed his music in silence as he set the mood for the remainder of the evening. I found his pieces refreshing and energizing; an honest and straight-forward expression without need for lyrics. A great example would be Speed And Comfort, which you can hear on Tim's myspace page.

Tongue Oven, out of Pioneer Valley, followed suit – a single man playing mostly instrumentals on twelve-string acoustic, though normally seen as a banjo/guitar, violin, cello three-piece. Tonight Mr. Oven, lacking his more sophisticated fretless stringed partners, played many pieces featuring slide guitar and harmonica. His well received set built on the energy of Mr. Horgan's but added a few shots of bluegrass sass. He wrapped things up with an interesting and purposefully out-of-tune ditty, which he also sang.

Micah Blue Smaldone came down from Portland, ME and took the stage last with his trusty and worn twelve-string Guild. Continuing the impromptu theme of the evening he opened with a short instrumental. He then proceeded into a nearly non-stop recital of several songs from The Red River, beginning with Pale Light. Between songs Micah filled what would have been praise and applause with strumming and finger-picking, leaving the audience zero time to send him the thanks they wanted. Finally taking a breather, Micah received his much deserved applause, after which he played a few more songs. Besides the aforementioned Pale Light, in the barrage where A Derelict, Bastard Of Time, The Clearing, and A Drink. I failed to recognize a couple of songs, either covers or tunes from Some Sweet Day or Hither & Thither, his previous records which I have not had the pleasure of attaining. He ended his set with a fantastic cover of The Congos' Fisherman, which he seems to often incorporate into his performances.

The Red River

I first heard Micah during last year's The Thing In The Spring festival, and instantly fell in love with his songs. His latest offering, The Red River is a truly magnificent record; full of feeling and a haunting vibe, it leaves you craving more after its only seven songs have permeated your speakers. Don't get me wrong, though short the album isn't lacking one bit. In fact it leaves me in a mood where no other record seems fit to follow and I often end up just playing it again. Micah's shows usually include just his voice, a twelve-string Guild which he finger picks, and a couple of microphones, but The Red River features an array of guests including cello, bass, electric guitar, horns, percussion, and additional voice. It may seem over the top for such a stripped-down style, but the additional instrumentation is light and focused on augmenting his original songs. It just works, and works beautifully; fans of the record may not even notice the lack of accompaniment during his live performances. Tonight I was able to pester Micah a bit after the show to inquire about any forthcoming recordings and I am happy to report we should see a split 7” with Big Blood sometime this spring...just in time for Peterborough's annual music festival; hopefully we'll see him again in 2011.